Love at First Novel by Gu Lingfei

Kathryn had fought back.

At first, when her adoptive brothers beat her, she resisted with everything she had.

They were older and stronger, but she refused to go down without a fight. She threw anything she could get her hands on at them.

One time, she even grabbed a hatchet and chased them across the village.

They were terrified.

Even when her adoptive mother tried to punish her on their behalf, Kathryn didn't back down-she raised the hatchet and swung at her, too.

Her defiance finally shocked them into submission.

After that, they never dared to lay a hand on her again.

But she still had to live in that house, relying on them for food and shelter. The abuse didn't stop-it just took different forms. She was always hungry, always cold, never given decent clothes or a proper place to sleep.

And her adoptive father, the man who had brought her into that family, never once stepped in. He never defended her.

Kathryn hated him the most.

prison, he later died of

the truth-her biological mother had

No sympathy, no pity. If anything, she

family, her adoptive mother and brothers tried to latch

drain

gave them

she reunited with the Farrells, she had already built a successful

from her adoptive family. She had no intention of helping them. No intention of repaying

should she

She wasn't a saint.

happen again." Then he

gone down

had been beaten, her face was badly

night of Pedro tending to her with ice packs, the redness had faded

It doesn't get too cold there, but summer lasts forever-seven or

"If it's too hot, we can turn on the air conditioner. But the cold? If there's no proper heating,

endured as a child, but winter always

used to suffer from frostbite every

she built her business and became wealthy that she finally had warmth-heated

got frostbite